


Daughters and Fathers and Sons, oh my!

by archaeologist_d



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Canon, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Canon Compliant, Canon Era, During Canon, Dysfunctional Family, F/F, Family Drama, Family Secrets, Finding Out Secrets, Humor, M/M, Morgana is Uther's daughter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-03
Updated: 2020-04-03
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:01:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23156746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/archaeologist_d/pseuds/archaeologist_d
Summary: Morgana was just trying to help keep Arthur and Merlin’s liaison a secret. Little did she know that there was more than one secret in the castle.
Relationships: Gwen/Morgana (Merlin), Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 53
Kudos: 250
Collections: Merthur Glompfest





	Daughters and Fathers and Sons, oh my!

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by [jasminum_draconis](https://archiveofourown.org/users/jasminum_draconis/pseuds/jasminum_draconis) in the [Merthur_Glompfest_2020](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/Merthur_Glompfest_2020) collection. 



> **Prompt:**  
>  Morgana barges in one night while Merlin and Arthur are 'busy', telling them Uther is on his way because he thinks Arthur is having an affair. Tells Merlin to hide.  
> The reasoning is that it's better Morgana than Merlin since (1) it isn't true and (2) what's the worst that can happen? She's the kings ward. But Uther, of course, absolutely flips out. Arthur is very confused. Morgana is straight up offended.  
> Morgana's parentage revealed.

* * *

She should have knocked. Or at least not barged in without a by-your-leave. But Morgana was in a hurry and Uther wasn’t far behind. She needed to alert Arthur before the king arrived and saw Merlin and Arthur together and realized that the rumours were true, that they were lovers. Morgana thought it could only end badly, with stocks or banishment or even the headman’s axe for Merlin.

She should have knocked, she really should have, although in the back of her mind, she did blame Arthur. Only a fool wouldn’t lock their door when rolling around naked on the bed with his manservant But then, Arthur was never too bright.

For her troubles, she got an eyeful of bare flesh. Lots of bare flesh. Things she couldn’t unsee, much as she might want to.

Merlin was kneeling, bent over, and Arthur was behind him, shoving what Morgana could only assume was Arthur’s prick into him. When she slammed the door shut, startling them both, their faces were a study in idiocy. Merlin looked up, his mouth gaping like a startled stoat, at first shocked to see her, then half-pained as Arthur straightened, his hand shoving Merlin down. Something must have happened, because in the next moment, he was crying out Arthur’s name and rutting into the bedspread, clearly lost in pleasure.

“Morgana, get out of here, oh my God, you are… out!” Arthur shouted. He reached over, pulled some of the bedspread over his rather excited and gleaming manhood, leaving Merlin entirely bare.

“Arthur, shut up. Uther is coming. He’s heard about you two and he’s on a rampage. Merlin needs to leave.”

She stepped closer, watching Merlin with interest. She’d never seen a man excited before, just horses rutting against each other and the dogs in the kennels, too. While she never thought about Arthur naked without becoming revolted by the idea, Merlin was all angles and white skin. Sporting several bruises on his neck, though, which explained all those rough neckerchiefs he wore all the time. How Merlin could have let Arthur’s huge prick into his body without physical injury, and more importantly, that he liked it, was beyond her.

Something must have got through to Arthur, though. After hearing Uther’s name, Arthur shoved at Merlin, trying to get him to move. “Hide, you idiot, hide. He’ll rip you to shreds if he finds you here.”

Merlin looked up at that, saw her watching them, then his face flushing, he pulled at Arthur’s coverlet, trying to conceal his nakedness. In the next moment, there was a tug of war, with Arthur yelling at Merlin to let go and Merlin calling him a clotpole and cabbagehead and useless toad.

It would have been worth watching them both for the ridiculousness of it, but Uther was stomping down the hallway. Morgana said, “He’s coming.”

With a final tug, Merlin won. The coverlet came free, and it and Merlin tumbled off the side of the bed. There was a distinct pained ‘ow’, then the rest of the red bedspread slid off onto the floor. That left Arthur entirely naked and scrambling to pull the sheets over his nauseatingly dangling manhood. 

Morgana shuddered at the sight. Although later, she could use it as blackmail or maybe make Gwen laugh, or both.

In the next moment, there was a muffled sneeze from underneath, and Merlin said, “He won’t look under the bed, will he?”

Arthur snarled, “Just shut up and keep quiet, you buffoon.” He leaned over, throwing what looked like a pair of furred manacles and a long penis-shaped wooden handle at Merlin, and there was another pained ‘ow’ before things grew quiet under the bed.

Morgana really didn’t want to know. She supposed it had to do with love-play but who knew with those two.

With only moments to spare, Morgana ran to the bed, kicking Merlin’s boots underneath, too, before standing next to Arthur as Uther stormed into the room.

At least Uther closed the door. Morgana didn’t really want the guards to see an almost naked Arthur and her standing next to him and thinking the worst. After all, she had standards.

“Where is he? Where is the wanton peasant who would dare to despoil my son?” Uther yelled, his face red and furious.

Remarkably because Morgana didn’t think he had it in him, Arthur gave Uther a confused look, as if he didn’t know what Uther was talking about. “Who, father? There’s no one here but Morgana and myself and she was just leaving.”

Uther must have finally realized that Arthur was naked under the sheets. His face got even redder although Morgana wasn’t sure how that was possible. But he strode over to her, pulling her away from Arthur and putting himself between the two of them.

“Is this how you treat Morgana, then? Sitting there naked like some kind of wanton in front of her! For all our sakes, get dressed!” Sniffing at the air, Uther really wasn’t a fool. His eyes narrowed as he looked at the two of them. “I blame that lowlife scum of a servant for this. This is not how a prince behaves. You do her and yourself no credit. When I find that fool, I will have him whipped.”

“Father, I was alone, and Morgana barged in and well, then you arrived. I was just about to send her away and dress for dinner. I don’t see what Merlin has to do with all this. It’s clearly a misunderstanding.” Arthur sounded almost contrite, trying to placate Uther.

Clearly, Morgana would have to be shrewder in the future if Arthur had such a capacity for misdirection. He was certainly surprising her.

Uther scowled, not believing any of it. “I have been told by more than one person that you and that bumbling servant of yours are lovers. This is unacceptable. A single time would not be amiss, after all, he’s just a peasant, hardly worth notice and you can use him as you see fit. But lovers? He’ll have power over you, you, the prince of the realm, who will someday be king. I’ll have him banished for it, after twenty lashes for his impertinence and presumption.” Uther’s fist came up, shaking it in front of Arthur’s face, and while Morgana always did love to see Arthur put in his place, this wasn’t right. “Now, where is he? The captain of the guard is waiting with the whip. And I’ve a banquet to oversee.”

There was a low groan under the bed, but Morgana covered it with a cough.

Morgana reached out, curling her hands around Uther’s fist, and pulling it close, gave his hand a quick kiss before letting go. “My lord, I am sure Merlin isn’t that sort of person. He’s sweet and very innocent. Even the bards singing of courtly love left him blushing. Surely, the rumour-mongers must be mistaken.”

Uther gave a long put-upon sigh, looking at Morgana with fondness, as only a doting foster father could. Then sounding as if he were explaining things to a child, his voice soft and condescending, he said, “I myself have seen how he gazes at Arthur, the glances, the long, heated looks. The idiot seems sick with love for him. And Arthur had been looking back at him the same way. We can’t be seen letting this kind of thing pass.” Stiffening, he turned to glare at Arthur, then snapped, “Arthur, for all that is holy, get dressed.”

Looking like he’d been slapped, Arthur pulled a tunic over his head and stood up. Luckily, the shirt hid most of Arthur’s pale thighs for which Morgana was eternally grateful. Pulling at the shirt, looking as if he were trying to hide some of his nakedness and failing, he grabbed a pair of trousers and began to put them on. Unfortunately, they were Merlin’s and a good deal tighter than his own. But him hopping around trying to get into them was hilarious.

She must not have been the only one who found it funny. Under the bed, there was a little snort. But Merlin couldn’t afford to be caught, so Morgana kicked at Merlin, and the sound stopped.

Finally, Arthur was covered enough to stand there, looking pained but resolute.

With Uther frowning at him, Arthur said, “Father, Merlin is an idiot. You’ve often said he had a mental affliction and even Gaius has stated such on occasion. Perhaps those looks are merely manifestations of his stupidity.”

Still scowling at Arthur, Uther shook his head. “Nevertheless, we can’t be having rumours of you in love with such a fellow. We will put a stop to it, and if the boy dies, so be it.”

Arthur started sputtering at that, but Morgana knew that anything he said would be no use. Once Uther made up his mind, getting him to change it was almost impossible. There was only one thing to do.

Putting one hand on her throat, her other hand on Uther’s arm, trying to look contrite, she turned first to Uther and then back to Arthur. “My lord, this… I’m sorry Arthur, but I can’t stand by and watch an injustice like this. We have to tell him.”

“Morgana, what… what?” Arthur said, looking thoroughly confused.

Arthur wasn’t the brightest candle in the room. He had no idea of the intricacies of politics or even how to get Uther on his good side, unlike Morgana who knew exactly what to do next. Distract, smile sweetly, pretend innocence. Lie, lie, lie.

Batting her eyelashes at Uther, smiling timorously as if worried at his reaction, Morgana said, in a low, hesitant voice, “Sire, Arthur isn’t in love with Merlin. He’s in love with me and I with him.”

“What!”

Morgana could have sworn that the sound coming out of Uther’s mouth could be heard in the next kingdom. The glass in the window certainly rattled with it.

The open mouth and confused frown on Arthur’s face, however, was priceless. He looked like he’d been hit with a mace and was just finding out how painful it could be. Morgana would have laughed at him if the situation wasn’t so dire.

Hurrying to Arthur’s side, she put one hand on his shoulder and squeezed, hard, all the while smiling at Uther. Trying to look sweet and giddy as if thrilled to be telling Uther at last, she said, “We’ve been using Merlin as a way to hide our love. If Arthur and I scream at each other and squabble in front of you, it is to conceal our true affection for one another. But it is just too difficult to keep up the pretence any longer. Right, Arthur?”

“What!” Uther shouted, his face as red and furious as she had ever seen him. If Morgana didn’t know better, she thought Uther might be about to have a fit.

At least, finally, Arthur got a clue. His face cleared and he gave her a little nod. Moving closer, putting his arm around her waist, Arthur said, “Morgana, I thought we were to keep this our secret. I know how much Father loves you and esteems your opinion. But if you think he should know, then darling, I will bow to your wishes.”

“What!” That seemed to be the only thing Uther could say. He was looking back and forth between them, as if unable to decide who to yell at first.

Arthur was still holding her close, and although she wanted to jab him in the ribs and tell him to keep his hands to himself, she knew she had to keep up the pretence. She just stood there, pretending to be happy, smiling. Her face was starting to hurt, though.

This was not how she’d expected her day to go.

Giving her a little squeeze, Arthur said, “Father, I think you might want to go back to your rooms and start planning the wedding. If we have your approval, we could marry as soon as the bans are called.”

With that, she did jab him, her sharp elbow going straight into his stomach. There was a satisfactory ‘owf’ and he did loosen his grip a little. But fluttering her eyes at him, she said, sickeningly sweet, “Arthur, let’s not be hasty. After all, I am not yet ready to give up my freedom, much as I love the idea of being your queen. My dearest love.” Then she gave him another nauseating smile and pulled away.

Arthur seemed to breathe a little easier.

But Uther was still sputtering, “What!” He was looking frantic and seething at them both. “You haven’t… you aren’t… this can’t be happening.”

She bowed her head a moment. Nodding toward Arthur, remembering what he’d been doing to Merlin only minutes before, she said, “My lord, Arthur is a gentleman and noble. We have only kissed and touched, nothing more.”

Uther seemed to have found his equilibrium at last. He jerked back away from them both, and his voice still loud enough to carry far and wide, he shouted, “This is completely… I won’t have it. This will stop immediately, and we will never speak of it again.”

There was something else going on. Morgana had never seen him so out of control. But more importantly, Morgana wasn’t about to back down, even if marrying Arthur was the last thing on earth she wanted to do. Once she got her back up, no one and nothing was going to stop her.

Her voice hardened, and she scowled at Uther. She snapped, “Why not? Arthur and I are both of age, we are of noble blood. You were always telling me how proud of my father you were. Surely, this would make you happy.”

Uther seemed to be startled a moment, as though he thought he’d been battling a kitten when a tiger’s claws appeared. Then his face turned hard and unyielding. “You can’t marry Arthur. I forbid it.”

An utter arse, worse, a tyrant and a bully. Morgana wasn’t going to stand for him telling her what to do. “You can’t stop us.”

Uther towered over her, yelling. “I’ll lock you in your rooms until you see sense. With guards outside your doors and below your windows. And don’t think to try and escape. I won’t have it.”

“You can’t be serious,” she said.

What Uther didn’t know was that her room was a warren of hidden passageways and secret spaces. The hell with him if he really thought he could keep her a prisoner. She’d run away, back to Tintagel if necessary. He might be her guardian, but she owned property in her own right, and she’d be damned if he could command her obedience.

But Uther didn’t seem to understand that. “Obstinate girl, I’ll put you in the dungeon if needs be. You are both out of your minds.”

“Why? I know I could find someone better than Arthur, the tournaments are full of them, but every suitor that came along, you turned away, with no explanation. Just like you are doing now. Forbidding me to marry him or anyone else.” She was beginning to see red. The old fool was unbelievable. As if he could ever tell her what to do. And it didn’t help that Arthur was just standing there like a lump, his mouth open, his gaze following the argument but as helpful as a numpty. As in no help at all.

“You weren’t good enough for them. You deserve better,” said Uther.

At least he wasn’t yelling any more, but Morgana wasn’t sure it was an improvement. Usually when Uther turned cold, moving the kingdom would be easier than changing his mind.

“Better than Arthur? He’s going to be king. Of a country. Even if he is annoying and a bit thick and a toad.” She glanced Arthur’s way, then rolled her eyes. Less than useless.

“Hey!” Arthur looked insulted. “At least I’m not as annoying as you.”

“He’s… no, I absolutely refuse to discuss it.” Uther was scowling still, his eyes narrowed to slits, his face hardened stone.

But Morgana wasn’t done. She refused to accept Uther’s edict. She wanted to know why Arthur wasn’t good enough. And if he wasn’t, she had to wonder just who was.

Arms waving, she snarled back at Uther. “Or are you planning on marrying me off to some foreign king? Alined, ugh, or Cenred who never bathes, or oh, god, not Olaf or Godwin. They are twice my age. And the only other king around is you.” And then a lightning bolt hit her. It couldn’t be that he wanted to marry her himself. After all, he was a powerful king and quite a prize, but he was as much a father to her as Gorlois had been. Even the thought made her feel ill. “You... no… oh, you… you don’t want me for yourself, do you?”

Uther looked pole-axed, and disgusted, too. “What!”

Arthur finally came out of his stupor. Shouting, Arthur pushed in front of Morgana, shielding her from Uther. “Father, you can’t be serious. She’s like a daughter to you. It would be almost incestuous.” Then Arthur turned around, his hands gripping her arms hard enough to leave bruises. Looking earnest and as much a warrior as Morgana had ever seen him – almost magnificent even if he was still a cabbagehead, Arthur said, “Morgana, he can’t force you. I won’t let him. I’ll protect you if I have to with my life.”

Turning white and furious and looking like he was about to vomit all over Morgana’s embroidered dress, Uther shouted, “I’m not going to marry her, you idiot. She’s my daughter.”

For a moment, there was utter stillness. Arthur turned pale, Uther was sweating and looking as ashamed as she’d ever seen him, and Morgana didn’t know what to think.

Then everyone was talking at once.

“What!” shouted Arthur.

“What?” whispered Morgana.

“What!?” said the idiot under the bed.

Arthur let her go. Looking at her as if seeing her for the first time and unsure what to do next, Arthur turned to Uther, and said, “She’s my sister?”

Morgana stared at Arthur, then nodded. Things were starting to click, things she’d felt, things that had made no sense and now made perfect sense. “He’s my brother? Ugh, really?”

“No wonder we don’t get along. Sister, what the….” Arthur turned on Uther, glaring at him, furious and appalled with either Uther or himself – Morgana wasn’t sure which. “And wait a second, you were always pairing us off together. And she was flirting with me … oh, that’s just disgusting.”

It was true. When they’d been younger, it made sense to flirt. After all, if Morgana had to admit it and she never would, he was a handsome man and beneath that prattish exterior, honourable. Almost any woman would have been lucky to have him for a husband. But not her. They’d get along for about five minutes and then it would be insults and competition and loathing until they needed each other again. Like now.

She glowered at Arthur. “As if I’d flirt with such a prat. It was just a ruse to make Gwen jealous.”

“What!” Arthur looked taken aback, then stared at her as if things were beginning to click. It took him long enough. Merlin wasn’t the only servant that was worthy of love.

But Morgana ignored Arthur’s sudden understanding. She had bigger fish to fry. Turning back to Uther, arms waving, she shouted, “And were you never going to tell me, Uther?” Then a second later, it finally hit her. She was royal, she was his daughter, she… oh hell. “Wait, I’m older than Arthur. Doesn’t that mean that I should be queen first and he’s the spare?”

Uther had the temerity to look ashamed. “He’s legitimate.”

That just set her off again. How dare he treat her such. “Oh, and because you screwed my mother, I get screwed, too! Well, fuck that.”

With that, she pushed past Arthur who was just standing there, looking as lost and stunned as she’d ever seen him, and stalked to the door, thinking to escape everything.

“Morgana!” Uther called after her.

She turned back a moment, looking at her father and seeing nothing but a liar and a thief of her heritage. “I learned a few things from Gorlois, one of which is to swear. So, from now on, fuck off. I’m done.” With that, she started stomping down the hallway.

“Morgana, come back. We need to talk about this.” Behind her, Uther was calling out, “Morgana!”

In the distance, she could still hear Merlin’s voice. “Can I come out now?” And a second later. “Ow!”

And that’s what she got for helping out a friend. An arse for a father, a brother who wasn’t all that bright, and knowledge she’d rather not have.

At least Merlin had enjoyed it. And with that, she knew just what to do.

She’d ask Gwen to run away with her and they’d move to Cornwall and they’d be happy at last. No princes vying for her hand, no rules to hamper her. No Uther to keep her in check. She’d learn to use a sword, she’d wear trousers, and never have to embroider or simper at those stupid knights again. She’d rule over Tintagel and maybe even cut her hair and wear chainmail. The good life.

And if she stole Merlin’s furred manacles for a little love-play of her own, well, it was a small price to pay for her help.

It was a good thing she hadn’t knocked after all.

**Author's Note:**

> Author’s Notes:  
> Many thanks to my ever-talented gwylliondream! She’s a real star for betaing this.  
> gilli_ann had a great suggestion about Morgana and Uther which I’ve incorporated where Morgana thinks Uther might be interested in marrying her himself and he freaks out. I thought it was a brilliant idea. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own the BBC version of Merlin; It and Shine do. I am very respectfully borrowing them with no intent to profit. No money has changed hands. No copyright infringement is intended.


End file.
